Tarnished
by The Silver Feathered Raven
Summary: AU. In a war where life becomes harsh, and the military influence threatens to crush those around it, the choices one makes become those for survival, not those for honor.


Prologue

She pulled the sheet tight around her body, walking to the window and leaning on the ledge. Gripping the bottom of the window, she pushed it open, the cold air from outside hitting her and chilling her flesh.

Behind her, still lounging in the bed, he lit a cigarette, the smoke swirling up and around, filling the room, before disappearing out the window.

"You know," he said, glancing over at her, "that probably isn't the best idea."

She shrugged, not caring that the window overlooked the street outside, not caring that the cold air was rushing in and the hot air rushing out. "The cold doesn't bother me. What _does_ bother me is that horrible smoke of yours."

He smiled at her from behind the cigarette, placing his hands behind his head. "Well, what are you going to do about it?"

"Obviously nothing more than stand by this open window," she said, wrapping her arms around her torso. Whether she admitted it or not, it was a cold day out, and she wasn't so inhuman that she wasn't bothered by it.

He sighed, used to this, and held one hand out, gesturing for her to come to him. "Oh, come on. Come back to bed."

"No." She turned her gaze down to the street below them. There was snow on the ground, a light blanket covering the cobblestones and the walkways, footprints already marring the white expanse. The rooftops were white as well, smoke from fireplaces rising from chimneys, staining the snow with ash.

He sighed again. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"I know." She watched a man in a heavy, fur trimmed coat walk down the street, the fur white like the surrounding snow. "The military is moving out today, isn't it? You'll be gone soon." There wasn't any regret in her voice.

"Most of us," he said, rising up from the bed and walking to where she stood. He wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his head on her shoulder. "And yes, I'll be going. I know you'll be glad to be rid of me."

"Mmm." She wrapped her arms more tightly around her chest. "It just means there's going to be more war."

"Did you really expect it to end so soon?"

"No." She turned her head to the side as he kissed her neck, her eyes continuing to stare out across the rooftops. "And get that cigarette away from me."

He made a sound of annoyance in the back of his throat. "If I get rid of it, will you come back to bed?"

Her eyes narrowed, as though she were not particularly pleased with the idea. "There's a possibility."

He leaned forward, stubbing the cigarette out on the cold metal of the window. "There, are you happy? Now, will you close the window and come back to bed?"

She let her head drop, releasing the breath she had been holding. "Jean, this isn't working."

He wrapped the other arm around her waist, pulling her close to him while pushing the window closed. "It can work if you want it to, but only if you're willing to try." She was silent and he sighed again. "Look, _I'm_ willing to try. That's got to count for something."

"You're a man."

"And you need the money. If you're so opposed to this entire idea, then we'll just call the whole deal off, all right?"

She bit down on her bottom lip. "I—Jean, you know that I can't. And I won't."

"Of course you won't." He pulled her around, burying one hand in her thick hair. "I just thought I should say it. After all, you _are_ giving me such a nice place to stay whenever I'm in town."

"You're paying for it. And besides, I'm not doing this for you." There was so much bitterness in her voice as she spat out the words, and he pulled her closer, running a hand down her back.

"I know."

"You always know." She looked up at him, her eyes narrowed. "I don't love you, Jean."

"I know." But he kissed her anyway, and she let him kiss her, and even responded in kind. He pulled her back to the bed, pushed her down, and kissed her, her black hair spreading out over the tattered covers.

"You should go," she said, her voice ragged.

"I know." He pulled back, looking down at her, looking down into her wine red eyes. "I know, Lust. But I don't want to go yet."

She gave a short laugh. "You don't mind staying with someone who's 'impossible'?"

"Nope." He leaned in to kiss her again, but she set a hand to his chest, pushing him back.

"You need to go," she said, more firmly this time. "You can't have the army leaving without you."

"They won't leave without me." He moved away, searching for his clothing, for the dark blue uniform of his.

"You're that important now?" She sat on the edge of the bed, and she was smiling at him now, though it was only a shade of a true smile. "I never knew."

"Well, you know me," he said, pulling on his pants and then a pair of well worn leather boots. "Always there for backup. They need me, you know?"

"Hm. I'm sure."

A shirt and then the more formal military jacket, and then a heavy black coat. He straightened, looking over at her. "There's money on the table. It should be enough to get you through a few months."

"Months?" she asked, her eyebrows rising.

"Okay, weeks. But it will get you through for a bit. I'll wire you some more when I can." He headed for the door, his boots making dull thudding sounds on the floorboards.

"Jean," she called out as he reached for the doorknob. He glanced back at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. It's the least I can do." He pushed the door open. "Goodbye, Lust." The door shut quietly behind him, and Lust was left alone in the near empty room.

She went back to the window after a moment, pushing it open and letting the freezing air rush inside, to take away the smell of the cigarettes and of the man who had smoked them.

* * *

A/N: I'm planning to continue this, with chapters focusing on different sets of characters in this little AU world. I've enjoyed writing this far. Never really attempted an AU before.

This chapter is based off an idea brought up in the play _The Girl on La Vie Flamina_, where during the second world war, women in Italy who didn't have enough money to support themselves would take up with men from the American military, sleeping with them in exchange for food, money, and/or a place to live.

The rest of this story will most likely be in short pieces, detailing a setting similar to this.

Thank you for reading.

Raven


End file.
